On a fine spring day 80 road racers took part in an excellent race
on North Northumberland roads. Club riders from throughout the South of
Scotland and North of England really put everything in to taking a win
in the third installment of Reivers Road Race.
Completing a 52 mile total three lap circuit around Etal, Ford, Ancroft
and Allerdean saw the riders having to contend with the grueling Ford
Bank climb on no less than three occasions, with a sting in the tail
coming on the final push to the line up through
Hay Farm.

The bunch sped away through lap 1 with just a few efforts of breakaways
seen off the front, Ford Bank saw the first formation of a strong lead
group who started to pull away from the rest. Towards the end of lap 2
there was a lone effort by Scott Wardlaw, from
VC Edinburgh, to jump across to the lead group from the bunch, a move
that became very decisive in time. In that lead group there were big
efforts from last years winner Jonathon Bayley of Gosforth RC and no
matter what the bunch tried to do they couldn't
close the gap.

Into the final few miles and the breakaway riders started really trying
to make final moves and with just a few hundred metres left Scott
Wardlaw powered in front to take the win by a couple of bike lengths
with Keith Greenwood Pedal Power RT in second and
Jonathon Bayley third. A great finish to another thoroughly
entertaining Reivers Road Race.

Best of our local riders both finished in the main bunch, just 40
seconds down on the winner, with Simon Gaunt of Kelso Wheelers in 14th
and Andrew Waring of Berwick Wheelers 21st